Man facing criminal charges after attacking girlfriend with scissors

A 23-year-old man has been charged with felony assault for allegedly attacking his girlfriend with a pair of scissors Wednesday.

The girlfriend, who is only identified in court documents by her initials, sustained a wound to her abdomen, according to prosecutors.

She told police in an interview that her boyfriend, Shawn M. Jessup, lunged at her with the scissors about three times, stabbed her and threw her to the ground, according to an affidavit.

According to an affidavit, Jessup first used the scissors to try to pop the tires of her vehicle to prevent her from going to work. When that didn’t work, he used the scissors against her, the affidavit alleges.

Prosecutors say there was an eyewitness to the incident, which took place outside of the woman’s apartment in the downtown area, and police observed an 8-inch laceration across her upper abdomen. A police officer located a pair of blue-handled scissors in the street, according to an affidavit.

Jessup appeared in Juneau District Court before Judge Thomas Nave earlier this week on one count of second-degree assault, a felony that can carry up to 10 years in prison.

During his arraignment, Jessup said he was last employed four months ago, and Nave appointed a public defender to represent him.

Assistant District Attorney Amy Williams told the judge Jessup recently moved to Juneau from Washington and that he has little to no ties to the community. Williams also alleged Jessup has a criminal history.

Nave ordered Jessup be held on $25,000 bond and prohibited him from contacting his girlfriend and from possessing weapons. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 3.